


All Is Bright

by IzzexIsEndgame (errrnflips)



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:14:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28135251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/errrnflips/pseuds/IzzexIsEndgame
Summary: Alex Karev only gets one first Christmas with his children, and he's going to make it count.*Set in the post season 16 Grey's universe; best accompanied with my previous fic, Before We Turn to Stone.*
Relationships: Alex Karev/Izzie Stevens, Izzex - Relationship
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	All Is Bright

It starts small: a cheerful errand planned for the bright Saturday morning after Thanksgiving.

The kids, having eaten their breakfast faster than seems safe or healthy, have just burst back into the kitchen, pajamas shed and replaced by long sleeves and jeans and, in Alexis's case, a glittery tulle tutu. "Will you tell us where we're going _NOW?!"_ she begs her father. She latches on to his arm and flutters her eyelashes at him; neither he nor Izzie know where she picked _that_ little trick up.

"You'll see when we'll get there. But it's outside, so you'll need coats and gloves. Boots too," Alex instructs his children. Izzie, still in her robe and slippers, pours Alex a hefty serving of coffee in a to-go mug. He brushes her cheek with a brief, but thankful, kiss.

"Scarves?" Eli asks hopefully. He's big into accessorizing these days. He and Alex have spent many hours in front of the bathroom mirror practicing tying Windsor knots and bow ties, which means Alex has spent many additional hours on YouTube, watching tutorials.

Alex nods. "Sure scarves. Pick one out for me too, please: one of the ones Mom knit."

Soon the kids are bundled and ready. "Bye Mom!" they chorus as they rocket out the door.

"Bye, loves." Izzie snags Alex by the tail of the bright purple scarf Eli has chosen for him. He bands an arm around her waist and pulls her in close. He tastes like peppermint and sugar: a Christmas cookie flavor.

Izzie spends the morning digging out the huge red-and-green Tupperware from her crawlspace in the basement, and even manages to take a leisurely shower and eat lunch before her family returns. The twins - rosy cheeked and hopped up, she soon learns, on Dunkin Donuts and hot apple cider - spiral into the house in front of their father, who hauls in a nine-foot balsam fir that smells like snow and pine sap.

"What do you think?" he asks Izzie once he's settled the tree into its stand. He stands back and appraises it, hands on hips, a pleased but critical look on his face. The kids have found the crates labeled with their names and are pulling out their ornaments in a shower of glitter and leftover tinsel.

She stands behind him and wraps her arms around his chest, kissing the back of his neck. "It's the most beautiful tree I've ever seen. It's _perfect."_

They spend the afternoon decorating the tree; Alex and the kids have convinced Izzie that colored lights are the way to go this year, and Alex has bought so many of them that by the time he's finished twining them through the branches the tree gleams like a small star. They watch _The Grinch_ after dinner and that night, without a word, Alex pulls Izzie to him and they hunker down under the branches, staring up into the lights. They spend Sunday putting up the rest of the decorations, and Izzie thinks that's the end of it.

But then the deliveries start.

It starts small: books and clothes, stocking stuffers and candy, all of it in sets of two. Next comes the doctors kits and the Lego sets and the American Girl doll with a cascade of strawberry blonde hair and sparkling brown eyes. Izzie and Alex come home every night to be greeted by a perpetually-amused Anh, who, per Alex's instructions, stows all the UPS boxes in his home office and locks the door behind her. 

After the first week of this, Izzie gently confronts him.

"You're going to spoil them," she says.

He shakes his head. "No such thing."

"Alex--"

He takes her hands in his. "Just let me do this. Okay?" He kisses her fingers. "You only get one first Christmas."

Her eyes swim with tears and from that point on, she doesn't say a word, even when he forwards her the receipts for two custom-made treehouses. "For those big pecan trees by the edge of the horse paddock," he tells her that night. 

His face in those weeks is so full of joy that Izzie falls in love with him all over again.

Christmas Eve arrives before she knows it. The four of them spend the morning baking and then delivering mountains of gingerbread and shortbread and snickerdoodles to friends and neighbors. Alex surprises them all with four pairs of matching pajamas and insists they watch _A Muppet Christmas Carol_ after dinner. He reads the twins _The Night Before Christmas_ and kisses them on their sleepy foreheads as he tucks them in.

"Will Santa come?" Alexis whispers.

"Only if you're fast asleep," her father whispers back.

After Izzie checks and makes sure both children are sleeping, breathing even and deep, she pours them both generous measures of whiskey and they get to work. They insert batteries and remove plastic wrap. Alex is better at wrapping paper, but Izzie is masterful with ribbon and bows.

By the time midnight rolls around they are tipsy and giggly; the gifts are stacked so high they can barely see the tree.

"I can't wait to see their faces," Alex says when the last of the wrapping paper is stored away and they've collapsed, exhausted, on the couch.

Izzie laces her fingers with his. "Who knew you were such a sucker for Christmas?" she teases gently.

He leans over and kisses her: slow, sweet, and deep. "I wasn't, until I came home to you," he answers.

She kisses him back and tries her best not to cry.

"Merry Christmas, Alex."

"Merry Christmas, Iz."


End file.
